Amarillo Family Court Records
Amarillo family court records are maintained by two county district clerks because the city sits in both Potter County and Randall County. Most of the city, including downtown Amarillo, is in Potter County, where the county seat is located. The southern part of Amarillo extends into Randall County, with Canyon as that county seat. Family law cases including divorce, child custody, child support, and protective orders go through the district court of whichever county your home address falls in. Both Potter and Randall county courts maintain their own records and provide access to the public through search portals and in-person visits.
Amarillo Overview
Potter County and Randall County Courts
The Potter County District Clerk and the Randall County District Clerk both serve Amarillo residents depending on which county their address falls in. The Potter County Clerk is at 500 South Fillmore Street, Suite 201, Amarillo, Texas 79101. Phone: (806) 379-2275. Court department: (806) 379-2284. The Potter County District Clerk is at 500 S. Fillmore, Room 1B, Amarillo, TX 79101. Phone: (806) 379-2300. Both offices are open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Potter County maintains an online case portal at portal-txpotter.tylertech.cloud. This portal lets you search district court records including family law cases by party name or case number. Potter County is the primary county for Amarillo, so most family court filings from Amarillo residents go through its courts. Randall County has its own records system for residents in the southern portion of Amarillo.
| Potter County Clerk | 500 South Fillmore Street, Suite 201, Amarillo, TX 79101 | (806) 379-2275 |
|---|---|
| Potter District Clerk | 500 S. Fillmore, Room 1B, Amarillo, TX 79101 | (806) 379-2300 |
| Online Portal | Potter County Records Portal |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
To search family court records for Amarillo, start with the Potter County portal if you believe the case was filed there. For Randall County cases, contact that county's District Clerk directly. The statewide re:SearchTX tool pulls from both county portals in a single search.
Searching Amarillo Family Court Records
Potter County's online portal at portal-txpotter.tylertech.cloud provides access to district court records including family law cases. You can search by party name, case number, or other identifiers. The portal shows case filing dates, party names, court assignments, and docket entries. Document images may be available online depending on the document type. For certified copies, contact the District Clerk's office at (806) 379-2300.
The Amarillo Municipal Court handles citations and Class C misdemeanors for the City of Amarillo. Their website at amarillo.gov explains how to resolve citations, and the city mailing address for certain court documents is PO Box 1366, Amarillo, TX 79105. The municipal court is a different system from the family district courts at the county level.
Amarillo's municipal court online system covers citation lookup, payment processing, and information on resolving violations through defensive driving and deferred disposition programs.
For a broader search across both Potter and Randall counties and other Texas courts, use re:SearchTX at research.txcourts.gov. This statewide tool pulls from district court records and is the most efficient way to find cases when you are not certain which county holds the record.
Amarillo Municipal Court and City Records
Amarillo Municipal Court handles traffic citations, Class C misdemeanors, and city ordinance violations. You can resolve citations and find information about your case at amarillo.gov. Payment options include online through the city portal, phone, mail, and in-person at the court. The Driving Safety Course (DSC) option is available by mail. Submit required documents to Municipal Court, PO Box 1366, Amarillo, TX 79105. You must meet eligibility requirements to use the DSC option.
Municipal court records in Amarillo show traffic citations and their outcomes, Class C criminal case history, warrant status, and payment records. Warrant check is available through the citation lookup system. Programs available at Amarillo Municipal Court include defensive driving, deferred disposition, and payment plans for eligible defendants.
The Amarillo City Secretary manages public records for city administrative documents. The office is at 509 S. Johnson St., Third Floor, Suite 3500, Amarillo, Texas. Submit written open records requests through amarillo.gov/city-secretary under the Texas Public Information Act. For Amarillo-specific public records outside the court system, this is the office to contact.
Filing Family Cases in Amarillo
Amarillo residents file family law cases at the District Clerk of their county, either Potter or Randall. The residency requirement under Texas Family Code Section 6.301 requires at least one spouse to have lived in Texas for six months and in the filing county for 90 days. Amarillo is in the Texas Panhandle region. Potter County is the major urban county in the region and hosts most of the family court activity.
After filing, the court assigns your case a number and a judge. Service on the other party follows, then the case proceeds through the court's docket. Texas law mandates a 60-day waiting period between the filing of a divorce petition and the entry of a final divorce decree. Cases involving children require conservatorship and parenting plan terms under Texas Family Code Chapter 153. Child support follows the guidelines in Chapter 154.
Electronic filing through eFileTexas.gov is required for attorneys filing in Potter and Randall county courts. Self-represented filers can use the portal or submit paper documents directly to the clerk's office.
If your Amarillo address is near the Randall County line, verify your county before filing. A misfiled case will need to be transferred, which costs extra time and money.
Legal Help in Amarillo
Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas serves Potter and Randall counties and provides free legal help to qualifying low-income residents. Their services include family law cases such as divorce, custody, and protective orders. Contact them through their main office or check texaslawhelp.org for regional resources. The State Bar of Texas lawyer referral service at (800) 252-9690 can connect you with a private attorney in Amarillo. Search for attorneys at texasbar.com.
Official Texas court forms are at txcourts.gov. Step-by-step guides for family law matters are at texaslawhelp.org. The Texas State Law Library has family law research guides at guides.sll.texas.gov. The Texas Courts Self-Help Center provides information on representing yourself in family court proceedings.
County Family Court Records
Amarillo spans Potter County and Randall County. Most residents are in Potter County. Visit the appropriate county page for full details on the court system and how to access records.
Nearby Cities
Other major Texas cities with family court records pages:
- Lubbock - Lubbock County
- Midland - Midland County
- Odessa - Ector County
- Wichita Falls - Wichita County